SAN ANTONIO – The KSAT Community event for January is the University Health System Blood Drive, which aims to collect the life-saving donations it needs every day.
Dr. Craig Cooley works in the emergency department of University Hospital, which treats some of the most severe injuries.
"Probably not a day goes by or at least not more than a couple that we're not transfusing a patient for some sort of emergency need," Cooley said. "Many of our medical patients require blood transfusions for a variety of medical reasons, ranging from serious infections, to losses in the GI system and even replacements from bleeding tumors and these kinds of things."
The need for blood donations in the Alamo City is great, especially from universal donors carrying O negative blood.
Even though the blood drive is just for a week, donors like Kurt Leinweber give year-round.
"It's not painful. One little prick and then you just have to sit and read a book and drink apple juice," Leinweber said.
Leinweber said he comes in once a month, switching between blood and platelet donations.
"Way back, my grandad had a disease and I started giving for him, and I just kept doing it," he said.
It takes less than an hour to give a pint of blood, which could help more than one person.
The University Health System Blood Drive runs from Tuesday to Friday this week. Donors are asked to visit the Rio Tower, 3rd Floor, Elevator D to donate.
The schedule for the event is below. Click here for more information.
- Tuesday, Jan. 26 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Wednesday, Jan. 27 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
- Thursday, Jan. 28, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday, Jan. 29, 7:00 am- 5:00 pm